Geneva Trend

Young, Restless, Reformed sketches the outlines of a growing resurgence
of Reformed theology among young Evangelical Christians. The origins of the
book came from a conversation the author, Collin Hansen, had with his editor
when “the emerging church was all the rage.” Hansen felt compelled
to investigate how it was possible that “he didn’t know anyone
who was emerging.”

So he traveled and interviewed people, covering a broad spectrum of personalities
and churches all over the United States. He discovered that, in the midst of
the emerging church phenomenon, he had put his finger on the pulse of something
different—“a return to traditional Reformed theology.”

A Transcendence-Starved Culture

Through descriptions of the personal backgrounds of his subjects, Hansen
illustrates the cultural trends he believes to be the driving force behind
this movement. He postulates that, among other reasons, a growing discontent
with postmodern thought and cultural relativism could be spurring the rise
of Calvinism. Garth Rosell, a church history professor at Gordon-Conwell Theological
Seminary, backs him up. Rosell “suspects that young evangelicals gravitate
toward the Puritans as they look for deeper historic roots and models for high-commitment
Christianity.”

Ligon Duncan, pastor of a Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) church, confirms
that for the younger crowd, “there is a desire for an approach to worship
that is more formal, historical, and transcendent,” which is not so true
for boomers. The “young people” also seem more willing to “really
[believe] in the doctrine of sin,” according to Eric Simmons, a singles
ministry leader. This leads to a willingness to confront their own sin, through
which they discover a theology rich with the sovereignty of God and the moral
weakness of human beings.

Calvinism also provides these young seekers with an answer to an empty, hurting
world and the weak human beings it contains. “Firsthand experience with
pain and brokenness has deeply ingrained disillusionment in many young Americans,” Hansen
writes. His interviewees say that a culture “about nothing” can’t
be a fulfilling place to live. And investing in the self doesn’t seem
to help either—“Self-focus isn’t feeding our hearts,” one
25-year-old said. Systematic theology provides “a foundation and understanding
of God’s sovereignty” in a way that can help people transcend their
circumstances.

And that is what proves tantalizing about Reformed theology, since we are
a “transcendence-starved” culture, according to Timothy George,
founding dean of Beeson Divinity School. Because people are longing for “transcendence
and tradition,” Reformed theology can step right in and give them “family
and a history and a home,” says Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in
Seattle, Washington.

A Revival

Driscoll further mentions that the return to Reformed theology is only one
of several paths taken by restless young Christians lately: “There’s
also a resurgence in Catholicism, in Eastern Orthodoxy, [and] in some monastic
practices.” I read Hansen with great interest because of my own restlessness
and similar journey to Orthodoxy. So while Young, Restless, Reformed focuses
on Calvinism and Reformed theology in some depth, the trajectory of the movement
is much broader.

Hansen outlines many uniting factors in this “new ecumenical Calvinism,” but
he also observes disagreement and disunity. While interviewees expressed their
joy upon finding a deeper faith, they sometimes spoke of rejection, arguments,
and congregational conflict.

Young, Restless, Reformed concludes with an observation: “Passion
for evangelism. Zeal for holiness. That’s not a revival of Calvinism.
That’s a revival.” What is encouraging about the stories in Young,
Restless, Reformed is that many of today’s young Christians are
being drawn to a deeper and more historically grounded faith, on the road of
transformation in Christ.

Jocelyn Mathewes is a graphic designer for the National Fatherhood Initiative (www.fatherhood.org), and is working on her documentary photography series, Women with Icons, recently shown at the Amalie Rothschild Gallery in Baltimore. She is married and attends Holy Cross Orthodox Church in Linthicum, Maryland.

“Geneva Trend” first appeared in the May 2009 issue of Touchstone. If you enjoyed this article, you'll find more of the same in every issue.

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